Impoting gt4 Options

[Grk_celica]

If I were to import a gt4 would it be right hand drive? Are all gt4's right hand drive. I found a website on the forums here tha specializes in importing jdm cars to the US. However I don't want to drive a right hand drive vehicle. I don't even think it's legal unless it's proven to meet safety standards which would involve crashing the car. So if I were to import one is it possible to import one that isn't right hand drive? Also has anyone ever done this? How much did it run you? What problems did you run into? Thanks.

[_mikeE]

No, the ST205 does come in LHD however they're a bit more rare.
Basically, you have two options:
1. Find a LHD gt-4 celica or,
2. Convert it, which would be a pain in the ass.

[CelicaSTX02]

If you have a celica now, I would say just convert it to a GT4 as best as you can. You can get all the parts and the motor for much less than it would cost you to import one.

[Grk_celica]

Yeah I have been reading about the 3sgte swap for some time now and it just sounds more and more appealing everytime I read about it. I think I might just do the swap myself. I didn't realize that the swap could be done for about 5000. I thought misc. costs would send the total price of the swap through the roof. I might e-mail the site I found though about importing the gt4 and I'll let you guys know what they say. Just to give me an idea of how much it would cost.

[_mikeE]

Well it is a direct bolt for the 3sgte motor to drop in your engine bay and to your tranny.
But I gotta warn ya, its gonna be a pain in the butt for the wiring harness.
But wow, 5000 for the swap? Is that including the price of the motor too, or just installation? 5g to install is a lot of money to me.
But your best bet is to convert to a gt-4 celica. Sure you won't have the AWD unless your truly pour your soul then you can do the conversion but it's quite iffy but there are some member who've done it.
the front conversion should cost you about 1400-2kish, and the motor depends on where you get it. If you get it from Toronto, they're cheap. 2nd gen are only 850 and 3rd gen is about 1400.

[96bluevert]

. If you get it from Toronto, they're cheap. 2nd gen are only 850 and 3rd gen is about 1400.

what..? how are they soo cheap?

[_mikeE]

See for yourself...it's in toronto. I'm gonna pick one up end of this year or next year in spring.

http://www.jdmtigerjapanese.com/index.php?...99v4618jhh5or56

Only 80 shipping within ontario woohoo! I'm only 4 hours away so i'm gonna go there personally to pick out my engine and make sure its all good and give them the OK to ship that specific one.

[zoik]

you can import one from italy or deutchland,there are some ones around not too expensive. no conversion needed, but no idea about customs and co.

[ILuvMyCelica95]

If i had a dollar for every "importing a gt-4" thread i'd be rich.

[Grk_celica]

I was looking at the stickies and the one guy that did the 3sgte swap said it cost him a little below 5000 and he did the swap himself. there is a shop that will source the engine for me and do the swap and everything for 6500 but I kind of want to do it myself.

So MikeE if you could let me in on some info, I would love to do the swap for well under 5,000 if that is what you were implying by 5,000 being a lot.

[Jeunesse]

See for yourself...it's in toronto. I'm gonna pick one up end of this year or next year in spring.

http://www.jdmtigerjapanese.com/index.php?...99v4618jhh5or56

Only 80 shipping within ontario woohoo! I'm only 4 hours away so i'm gonna go there personally to pick out my engine and make sure its all good and give them the OK to ship that specific one.

Holy fLlcking $h1t man.. I didn't know that we have a place like that here in T.O and its close to me too.
Thanks Mike...

This post has been edited by Jeunesse: Feb 28, 2008 - 3:45 PM

[CelicaProgress]

Would an older model Celica 3sg fit ??? 5th gen for example

[_mikeE]

HAHAH are you serious you don't know about tiger japanese?! DUDE they have warehouses for one particular type of engines...omg if u go there, one full warehouse is dedicated to ITR engines....like freakin wow.
And yes the ST185 RC 3sgte motor will fit in our celica's.
Also to grk_celica ill get back to u how much it'll cost for my mechanic friends to help me do the swap if i end up being too lazy to do it myself. But for installation, i'm sure it won't cost 5000, that's crazy expensive.
My mechanic friend was only askin me for 7-800 to rebuild my engine. And only like 100 to port & polish the head.

This post has been edited by _mikeE: Feb 28, 2008 - 4:54 PM

[goferris]

none of the motors there have the wiring harness from what i could see. that'll be a couple hundred more just for the harness then another couple to get the wiring done because most likely it will need to be extended. i don't know all the ins and outs about the wiring. talk to dr tweak. those motors do seem to be decently priced though.

[DEATH]

don't buy just a motor or motor/tranny combo. you will be nickeled and dimed to death with all the othe parts you will need.
5K installed and out the door is reasonable - get with DR.Tweak and he will at least set up your wiring perfectly the first time. the rest is pretty easy if you have good mechanical skills and have patience - this is not a weekend job by any means.

[_mikeE]

I wonder how much Dr. Tweak will charge to install the motor.
And i totally didn't thikn about the wiring harness part lol.

[Havok1997GT]

i think he said like 300 or 400(dont quote me though), but if you have every looked at what the Harness looks like off, its worth the money?

[politicsareevil]

i think he said like 300 or 400(dont quote me though), but if you have every looked at what the Harness looks like off, its worth the money?

www.phoenixtuning.com go to his FAQs. My harness was delivered to him today a few hours ago acutally. I spoke with him on the phone monday hes a really nice guy. If you have the 3s harness and you celica harness both the unmolested it will run you about 400$ (subject to change if you have bad wires or missing clips) If you have a heavily molested harness like mine from a shop who screwed my wires up bad, of if you messed with some wires installing stuff, it will run you more. Mine was 550$ for the harness and 40$ for return shipping. He knows what hes doing though. DONT RISK YOUR WIRING let him do it..

- Matt

[_mikeE]

I was looking at the stickies and the one guy that did the 3sgte swap said it cost him a little below 5000 and he did the swap himself. there is a shop that will source the engine for me and do the swap and everything for 6500 but I kind of want to do it myself.

So MikeE if you could let me in on some info, I would love to do the swap for well under 5,000 if that is what you were implying by 5,000 being a lot.

That's how much a whole ST205 front clip would cost you. Maybe he bought the front clip--which I hear is the better route to go cause everyting is all hooked up, all you have to do is bolt it all up together and do minor modifications i believe, I believe defgeph made a thread about him installing the front clip.

[808celica]

cant you bring one in as a "kit car" i know this guy who did it to a old school ferrari.....just bought the shell and everything else and filed it as a kit car.